2011 Media Releases

Date:

August 15, 2011

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 402-441-7831

Mayor Presents July Award of Excellence

Mayor Chris Beutler today presented the Mayor's Award of Excellence for July to Firefighter/Paramedic Thien Dang. The monthly award recognizes City employees who consistently provide exemplary service and work that demonstrates personal commitment to the City. The award was presented at today's City Council meeting.

Dang, who has worked for Lincoln Fire and Rescue since 2009, was nominated in the categories of customer relations and valor for his role in response to a recent medical emergency. He was nominated by Acting Fire Captain Michael Selvage.

Dang was a member of the crew that responded to a medical emergency June 25 in which an elderly Vietnamese woman appeared to be having a stroke. His ability to speak with the woman in her native language gained valuable lifesaving time. His skills helped the crew transport the critically ill woman to the hospital within 11 minutes of their arrival.

In his nomination, Selvage wrote: "Without Thien's help, our crew could not have provided this patient with as effective care due to the language barrier that would have challenged most providers. He is an extremely valuable resource to Lincoln Fire and Rescue and the citizens of Lincoln."

The other categories in which employees can be nominated are loss prevention, productivity and safety. Consideration also may be given to nominations that demonstrate self-initiated accomplishments or those completed outside of the nominee's job description. All City employees are eligible for the Mayor's Award of Excellence except for elected and appointed officials. Individuals or teams can be nominated by supervisors, peers, subordinates and the general public. Nomination forms are available at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: personnel) or from department heads, employee bulletin boards or the Personnel Department, which oversees the awards program.

All nominations are reviewed by the Mayor's Award of Excellence Committee, which includes a representative with each union and a non-union representative appointed by the Mayor. Award winners receive a $100 U.S. savings bond, a day off with pay and a plaque. Monthly winners are eligible to receive the annual award, which comes with a $500 U.S. savings bond, two days off with pay and a plaque.